Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-13
WHAT THE ENGINEER SAYS.

ter-The Bridge was ON Fire when
He Crossed 10.
CHICAGO. August l3.-The chicago Times special
from Chatsworth says: The board OF railroad CON-
missioners arrived here at noon yesterday and be-
gan an Investigation OF the recent disaster j. j.
sutherland, one OF the engineers Of the train, was
the Toledo, Peoria, and western road, running en-
CINE 81 In the lead. The train was behind It's sched-
ue tiiae having started from Peoria thirty min;
Forest and the train was about two hours late when
II drew out Of Forest He saw, as he approached
side OF me track. lie then saw something was
wrong with the bridge, but 1t was too late to do
anything. HIS fireman called to him to jump and
to peps ss
made up his mind not 60 jump When he iirst saw
the bridge y looked IKE emoers It seemed to
burst into flames when he ran on the bridge. 1t
was not raging fire, nor did 1t com
nunicate with the cars on the bridge. He
saw, as he expressed IT death staring him In the
bridge sink, ana sutherland then opened the valve
to get the train through The force OF the train
pushed the engine over breaking It loose from the
the wreck. witness carried water and extln-
guished everything in the nature Of fire; He
danger ht the bridge, the appearance being
that OF burning embers or Goals. 1t was
Goals On tie under ' side Of the bridge. Witness
said he was not In his normal condition as he
crossed the bridge, inasmuch as he never expected
TO get out alive. There was no question In his
mind bus the bridge was on Are. He had no
power to stop the train between the time he saw
had no ar s Na & IN. va ans
for lack OF time. There could be no doubt Of the
bridge being on fire when the engines crossed. The
names were famed by the passage OF the train.
THE FIREMAN's STORY.
John Rodgers, fireman Of sutherland's engine,
was sworn. He saw little fire on the side Of the
track near the bridge on the night OF the accident
He observed sparks rising and Goals In the center
OF the track ana Jumped from the engine
calling to his engineer to Follow. Witness and
another fireman ran to engine to Piper city and
gave the alarm 10 the citizens Of the town. lie
thought the bridge was burned away when he
jumped. Witness saw certain things which salts
lied him the bridge was burned. The train was
running pretty fast when the accideno occurred.
Axle Applegreen, the fireman OF the second en-
CINE on the Train, was sworn. Witness was lean
Ing on the Sill or the cab window On the left hand
side when the engine jumped up In the air and
turned on Its side. He was scalded and "thought
he was gone" He saw nothing OF IRE at The time
OF the accident, but saw 1t Immediately after
wards.
THE SUPERINTENDENT SWORN.
B. F. Armstrong, superintendent OF the roar, was
sworn. He was on the excursion at the time Of
the accident. The train was carefully inspected
at Peoria under his supervision. 1t was to run
through TO the Falls and consisted or six SeeperS
two cnrirS, i've ordidary COACHES, pay car bag
gage Car dDQ tW0 engines. Inc engineers Watcn
stopped at at IL As pm. and he Judged this was
the exact time OF the accident. witness felt the
front engineer reverse his engine and apply the
brake about nfty feet from the bridge. He looked
down and saw the burning bridge under the front
platform. Meh VITA axes chopped down the abut-
ments SO as TO kill the flames. Fire evi ently
caught In the east end Of the bridge and was work.
Ing down In old strtngers u ,ed as balkhead. Ord
ers Were given TO rOadsmaSterS TO burn the dead
grass and weeds
WHAT THE BRIDGE INSPECTOR sAYa
j. H. Markley, bridge Inspector on May IA re-
ported the bridge in good condition and good for
two years The upper works were but fourteen
months old, and the bridge was reported 10 wit
ness to be IN good condition. On Tuesday last he
ordered seclion 10 go over the entire sections
under this charge and Inspect the bridges. He
did this Tor fear OF forest fire. This order was sent
to c. E. Ennis, division foreman at Gilman, and
ordered All scc.i.n men 10 go over their sections
the last thing Wednesday night and examine
bridges. The train was running from 80 to 40
miles per hour. His track was god t1or 45 miles
per hour. The road is In nne conrttion-Steel
raiis with dshbars. The investigation wiii be re-
sumed at Peoria in the early part Of next week.
A number Of vii nesses will be subpGnaed and ex-
amined at that time.